Despair
by emmadactryl
Summary: Set after Hostage. Alpha Force are on holiday in Scotland but a criminal is on the loose and will do anything to keep his freedom. Rated T to be safe. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except for those that I made up. i.e the police officers and the loony guy.**

**A/N My story is quite short, as are the chapters.Sorry but I didn't want to take something small, tie it up, gag it and stow it away on a train for a long, boring, dull journey. My next fic will be longer with more action. Promise.**

Rain drummed quietly on the roof. Alpha Force had only been in Scotland for one day, but already bad weather had fallen upon them. Amber had a cold, so Li volunteered to stay with her while Alex, Hex and Paulo drove into town, about 15 minutes away.

Li and Amber waved goodbye to the guys, then walked back inside.

'I don't know about you, but I could do with a cup of hot chocolate,' Amber remarked as she wandered into the kitchen. Li followed her.

'This weather is so frustrating,' Li grumbled. Amber smiled and handed her a handed her a cup of hot chocolate. She waved a deck of cards under Li's nose.

'Come on. We'll play cards to help pass the time. I know this great game that Uncle John taught me.'

* * *

Hex sat in the front seat of the car, tapping his fingers on the top of his palm top. Alex sat behind him, staring out the window with increasing frustration.

'How long does it take to buy cough medicine?' ha asked Hex. Hex shrugged.

'For a normal person or for Paulo?' he answered. Alex grinned. He was about to answer when a car rocketed past their parked vehicle. It was closely followed by four marked and two unmarked police cars. The convoy tore up the street and headed out to the moors.

Paulo came out of the chemist and climbed into the driver's seat. He shot a questioning glance at his two friends.

'What was that?' he asked. They shook their heads and Paulo shrugged. He started the car and pulled out onto the street.

'One thing left to do,' he announced. 'Then we will go back.'

* * *

Li had gone into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She was whistling happily. She had beaten Amber in every card game they had played.

Police sirens drew her attention to the window. They sounded like they were not far off. Li frowned when she saw a blue car pull up. Amber had come into the kitchen as well, and they both watched as a dark haired man grabbed a bag from the passenger seat.

The sirens were getting closer as the man pushed open the kitchen door. He was holding a gun and had a crazed look in his blue eyes.

'Get in a line,' he screamed. The girls hurried to obey.

The police cars pulled into the driveway and one of the officers spoke into a megaphone, aimed at the house.

'We have you surrounded. Come out with your hands up and place the gun on the ground in front of you.' The man moved to stand beside the window, still pointing the gun at Li and Amber.

'I have two girls in here. You want to be responsible for their deaths, go right ahead. Come in and take me by force. Try anything funny and BANG!' He moved away from the window and gestures to them that they should go into the living room.

Once they were all inside, the man drew the curtains and reached inside his bag. He drew out two lengths of rope and bound Li and Amber's hands behind their backs.

'Sit down,' he ordered. They obeyed. The man sat down on a couch and placed the gun across his lap. The waiting game began.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Alpha Force.**

Having brought food, drink, batteries, medicine and film, Alex, Hex and Paulo were driving back to the house. As they neared the big, old farmhouse, they saw the flashing lights and felt dread drop into the pit of their stomachs.

They pulled the car up and leapt out. A police constable blocked their way.

'What are you doing?' she asked. Alex answered as Hex and Paulo were pale and were trying frantically trying to see if Amber and Li were outside.

'We're staying here with two other people. We went into town and they stayed here.' The constable's face grew sad.

'Come over here,' she said gently. She led them over to a patrol car and a detective explained the situation.

When he had finished, Hex asked shakily, "So they're hostages?' The detective nodded and the three friends walked back to the car.

* * *

Hex stared at the house. He was angry. There was not one single thing that he, or anyone else, could do. On their last holiday turn mission, Amber had been captured by Daniel Usher, whose mining company was dumping toxic waste in the waterways. Hex remembered having the same feelings of despair, worry and anger. Putting his head in his hands, Hex groaned.

* * *

Paulo and Alex were worried as well. Paulo was swearing softly in Spanish, while Alex kept is gaze fixed on the house. They had gone back over to the detective and had been pestering him with questions. Paulo left Alex and the detective and went back over to Hex. He was sitting in the car with his head cradled in his hands. 

'Hex,' he said quietly. Hex looked up, startled. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Paulo.

'What?' he asked.

'Are you ok?' Hex sat in silence for a moment while he thought about Paulo's question. He shook his head.

'No. Not really,' Hex confessed.

Paulo slid into the seat next to Hex and closed the car door. He waited patiently, knowing that Hex would start talking when he was ready.

'I shouldn't have left her.' Paulo was confused for a moment, then he realised what Hex was talking about. Ever since their last trip, Hex had been feeling guilty. He blamed himself that Amber had almost lost her life because he had left her in the underwater cave. Paulo had had many similar conversations with Hex since that trip, but he thought that Hex had gotten over it.

'Hex. It has been and gone. Amber doesn't blame you. No one does. And she is still living,' Paulo tried to console his friend. Hex was frowning.

'But she mightn't be much longer." Paulo grabbed Hex by the shoulders and shook him.

'Both Amber and Li are going to get out. Ok?' he whispered fiercely. Hex pushed Paulo away from him.

'But what if they don't?' he asked quietly. 'They've been taken hostage by a murderer. He's just killed two people and I don't think he's going to fret about killing two more.' Paulo sat still, thinking.

'I should have told her when I had the chance.' Hex added. Paulo whipped round.

'Told her what?' he asked. He looked at Hex, then blew out a gust of air.

'I knew it,' he said. You are not that...' Paulo paused while he searched for the right word. 'Unnoticeable?' He shrugged. 'I am amazed that Amber has not realised.' Paulo stopped when he saw the look on Hex's face.

He put a hand on Hex's left shoulder.

'I never told Li. Not properly anyway.' They sat in silence, both thinking about the two people that cared about the most. The two people that they may never see again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Chris Ryan owns Alpha Force- characters and plots. Not me.**

Amber was sobbing. She and Li had been marched up the stairs to a bedroom on the second floor. Their captor had gone to explore the rest of the house and left the two of them tied up.

'We'll never see them again,' Amber wailed. Li new that although Amber meant the rest of Alpha Force, she also meant one person in particular.

Li was surprisingly calm. She had realised that there was absolutely no hope for them if they were tied up, so she was trying to come up with a plan to get rid of the ropes. And she couldn't think of a plan if she was in hysterics, now could she? Once freed, they could get out of the house and the police could arrest the man. It sounded nice and simple. In theory. But the room was bare and neither she nor Amber were carrying anything sharp enough to cut the ropes.

Amber was still crying, so Li shuffled closer to her. Amber lay her head on Li's shoulder and sniffed.

'I wish I told Hex,' she murmured. The two friends sat together in silence.

'I wish I told Paulo,' Li said softly. She started crying as well.

They didn't notice their captor coming back. He stood in the doorway and held the gun up.

* * *

Paulo and Hex were sitting in the car when the gunshot rang out. At the same time, a scream echoed the shot. It was a scream of pure terror and they recognised it at once. Hex sat bolt upright. 

'Amber!' he cried. He tried to leap out of the car but Paulo grabbed his shirt. 'Stop it!' Paulo didn't let go. He yanked Hex back into his seat.

'Do you want to get killed?!' Hex stared at Paulo as a tear slid down his cheek. Paulo's expression softened.

'I am sorry,' he said, his voice shaking as he held back his own tears.

Hex sobbed, tears flooding down his cheeks and dripping onto the floor. Suddenly, Paulo felt sick. He lurched out of the car and vomited onto the grass. That guy had just shot Amber. He retched and felt the bile rise in his throat. Amber was dead.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Ditto to top of page in Chapters 1,2 and 3.**

**A/N: Ha hahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!! Fooled you!**

Amber saw the man first. She nudged Li with her foot and they both turned to look at their captor. The man was muttering to himself and fiddling with the gun as he walked into the room. Suddenly, he took a deep breath and put the gun to his temple. Amber knew what he was going to do and screamed as the man pulled the trigger. He collapsed on the floor and blood started to form a puddle around his head. Amber turned away and vomited. Li took a deep breath and moved towards the corpse. She looked him over quickly, trying to see whether he had a knife or not.

As she was moving back to Amber, Li noticed the black bag in the doorway. She tipped it over and an assortment of objects spilled out onto the ground. Among them a knife.

Taking hold of it in her hands, she carefully sawed at the rope. It took only a few minutes as the blade was incredibly sharp. Then, her hands free, she cut Amber's bonds. They weren't sure if there were more associates of the man in the house, so they climbed out of the bedroom window and down the brick wall.

* * *

Hex sat on a little hill next to the house. The officers weren't going in yet because they believed that Li was still alive and being held hostage. Negotiations with the man weren't progressing as he wasn't responding to any of the police officers shouted questions and comments.

He wasn't crying anymore, but his eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks tearstained. Hex felt peaceful, despite his sadness. Maybe it was better that Amber never new how much he cared for her. How much he loved her.

He sniffed and wiped his eyes again. Hex was so busy thinking that he didn't hear the bushes rustle and soft footsteps coming up to him. A hand on his shoulder made him jump.

* * *

Amber and Li crossed the backyard and climbed over the fence. They were going to head around the front, but Amber spotted Hex, sitting alone on the hill and she went through the undergrowth towards him.

Li hurried around the front, wanting to see Paulo and Alex. Especially Paulo. As she came into the driveway, someone yelled. The next thing she knew, she was being crushed in Paulo's arms as he hugged her. He was rambling in Spanish and she hugged him back. They stood like that, holding onto each other until a paramedic arrived to check Li for injuries. A detective questioned Li about the gunshot and she explained how the man had shot himself. She told them that Amber was safe and police officers swarmed into the building. Paulo didn't leave her side for one minute.

* * *

'Crying for me?' Hex gasped. There, standing in front of him, was Amber. He gave a sob of relief and leapt up, grabbing her in a fierce hug. They sat back down, close to each other on the hilltop. Amber explained everything that happened inside the house, and Hex told her what had been going on outside. They sat in silence for a few minutes then Hex turned to Amber.

'I thought I'd never see you again.' Amber nodded.

'Me too.' Hex opened his mouth but Amber got in first.

'I want to tell you something. Just... This whole thing made me realise that I want to... should tell you how much you meant to me.' She paused, looking carefully at Hex's face, but he remained expressionless. 'I really care about you Hex. I know we're all really good friends and that but...' Hex still sat, staring at the house. 'Oh never mind. I should have known it was pointless.' She got up to leave, tears in her eyes. Amber started to move away, but Hex grabbed her arm. She sat back down. Hex fiddled with a piece of grass.

'Look. I'm not that good with expressing me emotions and stuff.' He looked at Amber, then turned back to the grass. 'But I really care about you too. I... know what you mean about the whole death thing as well. When the gunshot... and you screamed...' He took a deep, shaking breath. 'I couldn't believe that I hadn't told you how much...' He stopped and looked at Amber. She smiled, took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

* * *

That night, Alpha Force sat in the living room of a new house. Their old holiday home was cornered off while police did tests and collected evidence. And then it had to be cleaned. Alex sat in an armchair, Paulo and lI lay next to each other on the floor and Hex and Amber sat close together on the sofa. The rain had come back again, but this time it didn't dampen the mood. Alpha Force were just happy to be together again, safe and sound.

**Ahhhhhhhhhh. Done. Hope you liked it. Review and I will try to work the comments into making my second Alpha Force fic SUPER!!!! It is almost done but I need to know the name of the boy who helps Alpha Force and shows them around in Desert Pursuit. He gets taken by the Scorpion. I posted this plee on the Alpha Force Fics forum as well so please help so I can get my new fic up soon. Thanx.**


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